The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Many vehicles include an external temperature display so that vehicle passengers may be apprised of the ambient temperature outside of the vehicle. Temperature sensors providing temperature readings for the displays are conventionally located proximate vehicle engines within vehicle engine compartments. Temperature sensors may operate accurately during vehicle use as engine cooling processes, such as airflow through the engine compartment, for example, normally prevent engine heat from interfering with the temperature sensors. However, when a significant amount of engine heat is present at ignition, the engine heat may interfere with the initial accuracy of the temperature sensors, and hence the internal display of such temperatures to vehicle passengers.
Currently, to avoid an inaccurate initial display due to engine heat present at engine ignition, the amount of time that a vehicle has been off is considered. For example, if a vehicle engine has been off for a relatively long time, the engine should be cool enough, such as at the ambient air temperature for example, so as not to interfere with a temperature sensor at ignition, and an initial reading of the temperature sensor is displayed. Otherwise, such as for short engine off periods, a previous reading of the temperature sensor is displayed.
However, such an approach does not account for instances in which a vehicle is on for only a relatively short amount of time. When a vehicle is on for only a short amount of time, the engine may not become heated enough to interfere with the temperature sensor at the following ignition. Therefore, consideration of only the amount of time the vehicle has been off can prevent the display of an updated and accurate external temperature reading from the temperature sensor in instances such as when the vehicle was previously on for only a relatively short amount of time.
Accordingly, it is desirable to control an external temperature display within a vehicle such that with consideration of any heat effects of an engine, and time, an accurate external temperature reading is displayed.